How to Prepare for the PMP Exam
PMP Exam Preparation Timeline
Approximately 2 months, utilizing after-work hours and weekends for study. Daily study duration on weekdays: 2-3 hours. Weekend study time extended based on progress. The first half of the month was dedicated to completing the institution’s lectures and note-taking. Personally, I found the time allocation sufficient.
Study Partners
I formed a study group with colleagues who registered together. Learning and progressing collectively is incredibly meaningful. Studying together provides mutual accountability, allows sharing of resources, and fosters support—a truly valuable experience.
Prioritize Agile Question Types
Agile questions are highly scoreable, but only after thoroughly mastering the foundational courses. Otherwise, confusion arises because the same problem may require different approaches depending on whether it involves agile practices. Newcomers often struggle to distinguish whether a project is agile, which can be overwhelming. Always tackle agile topics last—don’t start with agile practice questions.
Practice with Mock and Past Exams
The PMP exam consists of 180 multiple-choice questions, predominantly practical scenarios that place the PM role within specific events to assess appropriate actions. Rote memorization of concepts from textbooks is largely ineffective. The key lies in accumulating experience through practice, much like managing projects.
Complete every question to simulate exam conditions—work independently without reference materials. Avoid breaks, track time for each section, and aim to finish a full set within 180 minutes to master your pacing.
Review Mistakes Repeatedly
For incorrect answers in practice and past exams, analyze thoroughly: why you chose wrong, why other options were correct, and master the underlying exam concepts. We recommend Qinghui’s online exam review sessions, where instructors provide detailed explanations for each question’s correctness and rationale. Seek clarification from group tutors for any unclear points.
Understand Practice Tests
Grasp the underlying logic of practice tests. Questions you’ve encountered may reappear in the exam with slight variations—similar question patterns but different scenarios. If you truly understand the practice tests, you’ll instantly recognize the key points being tested and select the correct answers with ease.
Complete Every Question
Never give up during the exam. Even if you struggle, finish all questions. Your final score may surprise you. Passing isn’t solely determined by the number of incorrect answers. Questions are categorized, and your overall proficiency is assessed by combining scores across these categories. For example, if you perform poorly in one category (low) but excel in others (high), you may still pass after comprehensive scoring.
Fill in the answer sheet in stages
During the exam, fill in the answer sheet roughly every 60 questions. Take breaks and continue later—this prevents confusion. Leaving everything until the end risks mixing up answers, which would be a shame. Plus, constantly worrying about hundreds of unmarked questions can disrupt your focus.
Strategically skip multiple-choice questions
They offer poor value for time invested—extensive review doesn’t guarantee points. I used elimination for multiple-choice, achieving roughly 50% accuracy, which I found sufficient. Focus more time on single-choice questions. Don’t dwell on multiple-choice during the exam; they’re notoriously difficult to score on.
Maintain Your Own Pace
Avoid being overly influenced by others. Don’t panic if classmates finish 130 or 140 questions—stick to your own learning rhythm.
My goal for this exam was simply to pass—no need to chase three As since the final certificate is identical regardless. The outcome matched my expectations: steady progress following the instructor’s curriculum led to a smooth PMP pass. I’m thrilled and grateful to all my teachers. Wishing everyone success in achieving their desired results!